Eggless Hamentashen

Purim for the food allergic.

The joyous holiday of Purim can be nerve-wracking for the food allergic. Distributing and receiving festive food packages “mishloach manos”, banquet tables laden with allergens, and Hamentashen loaded with wheat and eggs can turn into allergic nightmares. A little planning and preparation can make an allergy free Purim fun filled! Think of the potential allergy landmines and navigate around them.

Mishloach Manos are wonderful gestures of kindness. Be kind to your neighbor and distribute edible gifts that are suitable for the recipient. Don’t give your peanut allergic friend peanut butter cookies. When receiving Mishloach Manos, go over everything with a fine tooth comb. Read labels on everything for allergens and “may contain” statements. If you encounter a baked or cooked item assume that you’re allergic to it (unless you’ve spoken to the preparer about the ingredients and the preparation process).

Preparation is key with the Purim meal as well. If you’re dining away go over the menu with your host. Offer to split the cooking and offer suggestions for allergy substitutions. Be sure to mention hidden sources of allergens that the preparer may not be aware of. Alternatively, bring your own food along. If one’s list of allergens is very long it may not be realistic (or safe) for someone else to prepare the meal.

If you have children with allergies, be extra vigilant Purim time. Kids like to exchange food gifts and a well-meaning child (or adult) can mistakenly offer your child a life threatening “treat.” Mysterious chocolate covered treats should be avoided. Are they chocolate covered raisins, peanuts, almonds, cherries, or mints? If you don’t know what’s in it, don’t eat it.

Speaking of Purim goodies, the quintessential Purim nosh "Hamentashen" is typically made with eggs and wheat. The fillings can be problematic as well. Occasionally people get exotic and fill the pastries with pecan pie filling, nutella, or even an egg-based filling like mon (poppyseed). The good news is that there are several brands of gluten free Hamentashen on the market. Recipes made with allergen substitutes can be just as the delicious as the traditional ones (try the eggless Hamentashen recipe below).

Children and adults with food allergies should carry their medicines at all times. Check expiration dates on injectable epinephrine as well as inhalers and antihistamines before Purim.

Eggless Hamentashen Recipe

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (a little less)

2t baking powder

pinch of salt

2 sticks margarine

1c sugar

1/2 c mango nectar

Filling Suggestions

favorite pie filling (apple, cherry, raspberry, etc...)

jam or preserves (strawberry, apricot etc..)

chocolate chips

poppy seed filling (“mon”) eggless type

Preheat oven to 375°F.Whip margarine, sugar, and nectar. Add dry ingredients and combine to form a soft dough. Chill the dough (should feel like fresh play dough consistency) for at least 1 hr. Form thin circles of cookie dough on a greased cookie sheet (use the bottom of a cup or a round cookie cutter).

Place less than a tsp. of desired filling in the middle of each circle and fold edges over to form a triangle. Pinch corners tightly so that triangle doesn't open up in the oven. *Thin dough out and be sparing with the filling for best results. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly browned.

yield: 2 dozen Hamentashen

Brownie "Cheesecake" Hamentashen Recipe

Do brownie cheesecake Hamentashen sound like forbidden allergic fare? Relax, these cookies are dairy free and egg free. You can enjoy this non-traditional twist on a Purim classic!

1 box *Duncan Hines brownie mix (chewy fudge-pareve)

6T all purpose flour

1 stick of non-dairy margarine

1/4 cup water

1t vanilla extract

*nut allergic – DH brownie mix may contain traces of nuts/peanuts

"Cheesecake" filling:

1/3 cup tofutti cream cheese

6T sugar

1t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. In a mixing bowl cream margarine, water, and vanilla extract. Stir in brownie mix and flour till the mixture is a soft play dough consistency. Form dough into thin patties and place on a greased baking sheet. Be sure to leave room for spreading. In a separate small bowl combine tofutti cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract.

Place a teaspoon of "cheesecake" filling in the center of each patty and fold sides to form 3 corners. Pinch the corners for extra security. Do not overstuff the pastries. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. If Hamentashen lose triangular shape gently reshape them with a spatula or the side of a fork. Cool Hamentashen completely before removing from pan.

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About the Author

Tamar Warga, MS-CCC, SLP is a licensed and certified Speech Language Pathologist and a certifiably crazy mother of 10 (4 with food allergies). She is author of A Taste of Sweetness Rosh Hashana Food Allergy E-Cookbook and A Taste of Freedom Passover Food Allergy Cookbook. Tamar has recently taken up blogging at Kosherfoodallergies.blogspot.com, ”Where kosher Jews get allergy news.”

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 6

(2)
Ann,
February 21, 2013 2:28 AM

gluten intolerant

Do you hav ea recipe that is egg free, dairy free and gluten free? My son can't have any of those.

miriam,
February 21, 2013 1:39 PM

idea for gluten free, dairy and egg free hamentaschen.

how about if you made a "pastry" from rice (think like sushi) or an allowable flour and put inside a more substantial filling like browned chopped meat or TVP or lox, veggies like spinach, etc. If you think of it like a boreka, the possibilities are endless. i urge you to look at the author's site above that has great ideas that are "out of the box." That's a necessity when living with special diets . . happy Purim!

Tamar Warga,
February 21, 2013 2:15 PM

eggfree/daurtfree/gluten free hamantaschen recipe

Ann,
Please check my website kosherfoodallergies.blogspot.com
gluten free hamantaschen page, also consider packaged gluten free hamantaschen, another route to explore is using egg substitutes in a recipe that does call for eggs. Check out the egg tab on the top of my site for substitutions.
Have a Happy Purim!!!

Kim,
February 22, 2013 12:23 AM

Great find GLUTEN FREE!

There is a company called "Wholesome Chow", their products are kosher, egg free, dairy free and GLUTEN FREE. They make an All-purpose Baking mix that can be subbed for flour 1:1 ratio. If you can get this where you live I strongly recomend it. I use it for my husband.

(1)
Yehudit,
February 20, 2013 6:37 AM

Hyperactivity

Not to mention all the terrible colours and chemicals! Watch out for hyperactivity and aggression amongst the kids: try to have a massive platter of cut fruits and veggies with dips and crackers out to nosh on: the kids actually crave the freshness after the junk, and may not eat so much junk if there's a suitable alternative: I call them "kid platters" and that's what I offer to take when invited to Seuda...

Tamar Warga,
February 21, 2013 2:19 PM

Hyperactivity on Purim

Great point Yehudit. The sugar high on Purim is an issue for all kids, not just food allergic. I find that at the end of the Purim Seuda everyone is happy to see fresh fruit.